


Hidden Wands and Blades

by Scarlet_Gryphon



Category: Assassin's Creed, Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling, His Dark Materials - Philip Pullman
Genre: Alternate Universe - Assassin's Creed Fusion, Alternate Universe - Daemons, Alternate Universe - Fusion, Families of Choice, Gen, alternate universe- harry raised by others
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-05-26
Updated: 2014-05-26
Packaged: 2018-01-26 13:24:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 19,028
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1689920
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Scarlet_Gryphon/pseuds/Scarlet_Gryphon
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Harry Potter never lived with the Dursleys, but was instead trained in the way of the Assassin Brotherhood. 3-way AU-fusion with Ubisoft's "Assassin's Creed" 'Verse and Philip Pullman's "His Dark Materials" 'Verse. Complete.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Prologue: An All Saint's Day Rescue

**Author's Note:**

> This is transferred over from my account on FF.net (Late for the Sky), minus most of the author's notes, etc. Nothing belongs to me, etc, etc. Any quotes from the actual Harry Potter books are (c) J.K. Rowling. This is a three-way-fusion between Harry Potter, Assassin's Creed (the general 'Verse, not the plot of the games specifically), and His Dark Materials (the idea of daemons, mainly). Enjoy.

The wind rustled through the trees on Privet Drive, making some of the dead leaves still clinging to the branches flutter to the ground. Four figures silently made their way through the shadows and over the leaves, moving lightly as they walked. Their dæmons either flew or padded along beside their humans; their leader had a barn owl that glided quietly alongside her on silent wings. A hand motion from the leader had the group suddenly scattering; two crossed the street and disappeared into the shadows, while their leader and her second-in-command quickly made their way up to the nearest rooftop. All four humans wore dark-colored clothing that helped them to blend in with the night, so they were barely visible in the darkness.

The group watched in tense silence as a silver-haired and -bearded man in long robes suddenly appeared at the end of the street, his macaw dæmon perched securely on his shoulder. He raised a small silvery object into the air and, after activating it a few times, darkened Privet Drive even further. The four watchers let their eyes adjust to the lowered levels of light and continued to watch the scene below. The leader let out a soft snort of recognition at the sight of the cat-turned-woman interacting with the man, drumming her fingers against the rough shingles covering the roof she lay on. They watched and waited for several more minutes until the sound of a motorbike rumbling nearby broke the silence.

"Wha-?" The leader perked up, her dæmon turning his head this way and that at the familiar sound. "I know that engine," the owl muttered to his human. "That's-"

"It can't be," the leader murmured, and indeed, the person who was actually piloting the flying motorbike was not the one who normally owned it. The pilot was a giant of a man, and his brown bear dæmon sat shotgun in the sidecar, though she looked rather uncomfortable in the confined space. As soon as the bike landed, the man and his dæmon got off (and out) and headed over to Professors McGonagall and Dumbledore; a bundle of blankets was held carefully in the man's large, muscular arms.

"Hagrid," Dumbledore said, and the watchers could hear a note of relief in the elderly man's voice. "At last. And where did you get that motorcycle?"

"Borrowed it, Professor Dumbledore, sir," Hagrid said. "Young Sirius Black lent it to me. I've got him, sir."

"See, I told you," the barn owl dæmon hissed, a note of satisfaction prominent in his deep-pitched voice.

"Yes, you're very clever. Now shut up," the leader muttered, returning her attention back to the conversation in time to hear Hagrid say, "-Lily an' James dead- an' poor little Harry off ter live with Muggles-"

"Not if I can help it," the leader growled softly. Her second-in-command glanced over at her, an odd look passing across his face before he shrugged and then continued watching what was going on below. Dumbledore took the bundle of blankets containing Harry from Hagrid and laid it gently on the doorstep of number four.

"Well," Dumbledore said when he rejoined the others, "that's that. We've no business staying here. We may as well go and join the celebrations."

"Yeah," Hagrid muttered. "I'll be takin' Sirius his bike back. G'night, Professor McGonagall; Professor Dumbledore, sir." He clambered back onto the bike, his dæmon settling into the sidecar. Hagrid kicked the bike into life and then took off once more, quickly rising into the air and off into the night.

"I shall see you soon, I expect, Professor McGonagall," Dumbledore said to his remaining companion. McGonagall merely nodded and blew her nose into a handkerchief. At that, Dumbledore turned on his heel, leaving Professor McGonagall and her raven dæmon alone. Once Dumbledore reached the end of the street, he stopped and took out the silver Put-Outer.

"Close your eyes!" the leader commanded, knowing that she would be heard thanks to the Listening Charm that had been cast on every one of the group's cloak hoods. She pushed her face against her arm just in time, because Dumbledore activated the Put-Outer, relighting the streetlamps he had extinguished earlier. Both he and McGonagall had gone by the time the four watchers had reached the ground, but not one of them cared. The leader darted over to number four, her dæmon flying a few meters ahead of her. The young woman- even with her leadership role, she was barely twenty-two -carefully scooped up the bundle containing Harry and his dæmon, who was currently sleeping in the form of a small mouse curled up under the blankets. She slipped the envelope Dumbledore had left into her pocket, intending on burning it the first chance she got.

"Let's go," the leader's dæmon said, landing on his human's shoulder and ruffling his feathers. "We need to get him to a Healer, and possibly a Curse-Breaker as well."

"Understood," the second-in-command's dæmon, a surprisingly solemn bluebird, replied. The leader looked down at the bundle in her arms, an odd look passing across her face before she sighed and Disapparated. Her teammates followed after her, leaving the quiet Muggle neighborhood behind. In the main bedroom of number four, Vernon Dursley rolled over in bed, a soft snort escaping him. His pig dæmon snuffled in her sleep and snuggled closer to Petunia's collie dæmon, burying her snout in his warm fur. The street outside was empty and only a few leaves floated on the wind, leaving neither Dursley none the wiser how close they came to having to raise Harry in their house.


	2. Chapter One: The Flock

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A note here: Harry is technically 17 in this story thanks to an incident with an Aging Potion gone-wrong a few months before what would have been his thirteenth birthday. My reasons for this is that having an older Harry (and bumping up the ages of his companions as well) makes for a more believable character when dealing with the Assassin's Creed 'Verse. Having a thirteen-year-old Assassin running around didn't sit with me very well.

-Twelve Years Later -

"Higher! Get that rear in gear, Orion! You won't get a good vantage point that low, so keep going!"

There was a groan from the seventeen-year-old climbing the old oak but he continued to ascend, his red fox sparrow dæmon flying close to his head. An encouraging hoot from the tree next to him made Orion look up. It was Taradai, the Great Horned Owl dæmon belonging to Flock Seven's leader, Aquila. With her added encouragement, Orion pulled himself up to a higher branch and paused there, collecting his breath.

"Much better, Orion," Mistress Columbia, the Flock's Training Leader, called out from her vantage point on her broom. "See? You have a much better view of your surroundings, not to mention a better place to hide and strike at your enemies from."

"Now what, Ma'am?" Orion asked, shifting his grip on the branch. Mistress Columbia grinned and then conjured an enormous pile of hay on the ground fifteen feet below. She put a strong Cushioning Charm on the haystack and then moved out of the way, rising higher into the air on her broomstick. Orion sighed and then grumbled a "Wonderful," to his dæmon.

"Oh, hush, Dan," the sparrow replied, using part of Orion's true name. "We've practiced this plenty of times before."

"Aquila!" Mistress Columbia called out. Orion watched as Aquila, a lanky boy two months older than Orion, launched himself from his perch in an elm tree, his great horned owl dæmon following swiftly after him. Aquila's Leap of Faith landed him safely in the middle of the haystack, his dæmon concealing herself in the hay as well. After a minute or so of waiting, Aquila left the haystack, picking pieces of dried grass and hay from his messy dark hair as he went.

"Deneb!"

-A wait of a minute and then-

"Cassiopeia!"

-A minute more-

"Gemini!"

-Another minute and-

"Orion!"

Orion steadied himself with a deep breath and then threw himself forward, his dæmon following quickly after him as he somersaulted through the air. Muscle-memory took over as Orion fell, making him twist his body midair into the correct position just before he made contact with the haystack. He felt the Cushioning Charm negate his momentum gently; he came to rest under the surface of the hay, fully hidden from sight with his dæmon nestled beside him. He slowly counted off a minute in his head, and then emerged from the haystack once the wait time was over.

Once Lupa, the last member of the Flock, had performed her Leap of Faith and had cleared the area, the six young novice Assassins watched their teacher simply slip sideways off her broom and fall into a Leap of Faith, her barn owl dæmon falling down right beside her, his wings tucked close to his body. The two of them landed in the haystack with a soft double thump, disappearing under the cover of the hay in the blink of an eye. When they didn't emerge after the usual minute, the Flock started to get worried.

"D'you think we should check on her?" Cassiopeia asked, looking concerned about the well-being of her aunt. Aquila tilted his head a bit to listen to something Taradai, his dæmon, was saying and then shook his head.

"No," he said, his green eyes holding a thoughtful look. "This is obviously a test. Here, let's try this." He flexed his right wrist in a specific motion, activating the hidden wand bracer that he wore on that arm. His left bore his hidden blade, but that stayed sheathed for the moment. With a complicated wand movement and a nonverbal _Evanesco_ , Aquila Vanished the hay pile, sending it into the aether. All that was left were the leaves and other detritus that had originally been there at the start of the training exercise. Mistress Columbia, however, was nowhere to be seen.

"She must have Disapparated after she landed," Lupa theorized. "She's damn near silent when she does that, remember?"

Her Flockmates nodded, all remembering the lessons on near-soundless Apparition that had been drilled into them earlier that year when they had first been learning the almost-instantaneous mode of magical travel. "That leaves the question of where she's gotten off to, then," Deneb said, running a hand thoughtfully through his short brown hair. "Would a tracking spell work, d'you think?"

"Yeah, that should work," Orion said. "If she hasn't made herself untraceable, that is."

"True." Aquila transfigured a leaf into a piece of parchment and then placed a tracking spell on it, muttering Columbia's true name under his breath as the target of the spell. A map of the general area slowly formed on the parchment, magical pen lines sketching the notable landmarks before pinpointing Columbia's location. One glance at the impromptu map had the Flock looking up above them. Columbia sat watching them from a broad branch in an elm, her dæmon perched next to her. The Training Leader nodded to her Flock and then descended the tree in rapid time.

"Good job," she said once she reached the ground. She turned to Aquila as her dæmon, Karish, landed on her shoulder. "That map spell could use a little work, though. Try experimenting with different kinds of paper, Transfigured or otherwise," she advised, and then looked at the others. "That goes for the rest of you as well."

There was a scattered chorus of "Yes, ma'am," from the Flock, and then Columbia continued speaking. "Now, as you noticed, it took a few minutes for you to find me," she said, motioning for her students to take a seat on the ground. She herself sat down on a large, flat rock that she often taught from, arranging her legs in a tailor's seat. "That's perfectly fine," she continued on. "That element of surprise will serve you well in future missions against both Muggle and Wizarding targets. Of course, a Muggle target won't be expecting you to use magic, so that's a distinct advantage you've got over them. Now, with Wizarding targets, you've got to be more careful. They-"

"Mistress Columbia! Mistress Columbia!" A young woman with a raccoon dæmon came running up, her flyaway blonde hair escaping from its braid as she moved.

"What's wrong, Garnet?" Columbia asked the leader of Flock Three, also known as Jewel Flock; in their case, Flock Seven was alternatively called Star Flock. Garnet took a few deep breaths as she tried to regain her composure. With a slight frown, Columbia put a Calming Charm on the frazzled girl.

"Thanks," Garnet said as the Charm took affect. "The Council needs to see you, ma'am, as well as Aquila."

"Did they say what for?" Aquila asked, flexing his right wrist and making his wand disappear back into its magically-enhanced wrist bracer. The two bracers looked more like thin leather wrist bands than the tradition forearm bracers. This magical modification of the bracers helped the modern-day magical Assassins blend in with crowds better.

Garnet shook her head. "No, only that it was important," she replied.

"Very well." Columbia turned to the rest of the Flock. "Keep training for now. If we're sent somewhere, Quill and I will come and get you." She paused and then smiled wryly. "Hopefully, the Council won't take over long."

"Hopefully," Deneb replied, returning Columbia's grin with one of his own. "Good luck with the Council, Mistress Columbia, Aquila."

Columbia and Aquila left the Flock behind after that, exiting the small wood that served as the aerial training grounds and then headed towards the Council building. It was the largest building in the small town of Harper's Valley, an entirely Assassin-inhabited town. There were a mix of Muggle and Wizard Assassins in Harper's Valley; it had been like that since the town's founding five hundred years prior. The entire town had been made Unplottable, and had several anti-Dark Magic wards on it that were some of the strongest in the nation. There were several settlements around the world like Harper's Valley, but this one was the biggest in Great Britain. Harper's Valley was located in Northern England, several dozen miles away from the border with Scotland.

When the two of them reached the Council building, they were greeted by two guards at the door. Both were dressed in lightweight armor that was magically enhanced for protection against both Muggle and Wizarding weapons. They could turn away a knife blade at close quarters and could repel most minor hexes and curses. The guards nodded to Aquila and Columbia as the two Assassins passed them; one of them opened the door for them and then stood aside, his hawk dæmon giving a brief nod to Taradai and Karish as they passed. An aide was waiting for them in the main lobby, and once the two Assassins drew close, led them through the building and into the airy chambers where the Council usually met.

The Council was made up of six Grand Master Assassins; three of each gender sat on the Council to keep the viewpoints presented as egalitarian as possible. All six wore the black robes of a Grand Master, though the two eldest had broad red sashes that ran from their left shoulders to their right hips in recognition of their seniority. The aide left Aquila and Columbia standing in the center of the room, slipping out a side door to return to her duties. The female Council Leader looked from Columbia to Aquila and then back again before shuffling a few pieces of parchment on the polished oak table in front of her and then speaking.

"Mistress Columbia, Novice Aquila, there has been a rather intriguing recent event that has come to our attention, and it mainly concerns both of you, though I suspect you'll be wanting to let the rest of your Flock in on the news once you leave here," the Council Leader said, her cobra dæmon flicking his tongue out to taste the cool air.

"And what would that news be?" Columbia asked politely when the Council Leader didn't continue on. The Council Leader looked grim.

"Sirius Black has escaped from Azkaban Prison, and is headed to Hogwarts as we speak."


	3. Chapter Two: Talking and Making Plans

As they left the Council Building twenty minutes later, Aquila noticed that Columbia seemed to be in a very pensive mood. She was barely watching where she was walking, and only when Karish nudged her with his wing did she look up briefly. Aquila sighed. Right. Time to stop being Training Mistress Columbia's student, Aquila, and start being Kit Donovan's son, Harry.

"Something wrong, Mum?" Harry asked, looking over at her. Kit sighed and then looked over at her adopted son with a crooked smile.

"It's complicated, love," Kit said, reaching out and ruffling Harry's hair with one hand. Harry rolled his eyes at the familiar motion, amused by Kit's actions. Taradai idly ran her beak through Harry's hair, fixing the mussed locks the best she could.

"You know, Uncle David says that 'complicated' is just another way to keep from talking about things," Harry said with a cheeky grin. Kit snorted.

"Your uncle says quite a lot of things," Kit replied as she and Harry reached their home. It was a small three-bedroom house that sat near the center of the town. It was painted a deep forest green with white trim, something Harry vaguely remembered Kit and her brother doing when the young wizard was six or so. The inside of the house was comfortably decorated with knickknacks that Kit and David had collected on their travels across the world, and had stout furniture that had repeatedly stood up against the energy of a growing young wizard and his equally rambunctious friends. Speaking of said friends, Kit and Harry had sent an owl to the others right before they had left the Council Building, sending a message to meet them at Kit and Harry's house a half-hour after they received the message. That would give Kit and Harry some time to talk over things in private before they filled the rest of the Flock in on the mission.

Kit left Harry in the front room while she went and fetched something from her room. While waited, Harry Summoned the tea kettle, two mugs, and some tea from the nearby kitchen. One quick _Aguamenti_ later to fill the kettle and a heating charm to instantly get the water up to the right temperature, Harry was making two mugs of strong Earl Grey tea. Kit returned just as the tea finished steeping. She had a slim leather-bound photo album with her. It looked well-cared for, but rather innocuous all the same. Karish flew over to his habitual perch on the four-foot-long rail that served as a dæmon perch. Taradai joined him there, running her beak through his feathers in greeting. Harry settled down next to Kit, handing his mother her mug of tea. He waited for her to start talking, occasionally taking sips of tea as he sat there.

"Sirius Black," Kit began after a minute's silence, "went to Hogwarts with James Potter and Lily Evans. James and Sirius were best friends, and were part of a group called the Marauders while at Hogwarts; the two other members of that group were Remus Lupin and Peter Pettigrew."

"Okay, that makes sense," Harry said. "I take it they stayed friends after Hogwarts?"

Kit nodded, idly swirling her tea around as she thought. "Yes," she replied. "We met in their sixth year at a family party James had invited Sirius to. James was my cousin on my mother's side; his mum and Nonna Maria were sisters. That would technically make you and me second cousins, if I hadn't legally adopted you, that is." Kit took a drink from her tea as she tried to organize her thoughts. Harry nodded this time, waiting for Kit to continue. He had known he had been adopted since he was six or so, as well as the circumstances behind said adoption and subsequent healing and curse-breaking at Masyaf. Kit had always been open with him about that, and had promised to answer any questions Harry might have about his birth parents to the best of her ability and his level of comprehension at the time of the question being asked.

"Anyways, once Lily and the boys graduated from Hogwarts, they joined an organization headed up by Albus Dumbledore called the Order of the Phoenix," Kit continued on. "I was one of the Assassin liaisons with the group, given my familial ties with James." Kit smiled wryly. "One of my first impressions of Sirius Black was that he was an arrogant little twit with far too much free time on his hands. Of course, that was while he was still at Hogwarts; he seemed to mellow out a bit once he got some real-world experience. I suppose you could say it knocked a little sense into him. We worked closely together against Voldemort and his forces, and in that time, we grew close."

Here Kit sighed softly."It took a few years, but we started seeing one another in a more than just professional light. James and the others were rather surprised when they found out; apparently, the longest relationship Sirius had ever been in before had lasted a grand total of a month and a half. We were engaged a few months after you were born, and were planning on getting married once the war was over. Neither of us wanted to bring a child into a world at war, especially since we weren't sure we would win."

"But you got stuck with me anyways," Harry said jokingly.

"Don't you ever say that again!" Karish admonished sharply, clacking his beak in exasperation. "You have never been something we were burdened with; you are a gift, nothing less."

"Okay, okay," Harry said, raising his hands in a conciliatory gesture. "Please continue."

"Anyways, a few months before you were born, a prophecy was made concerning a boy born at the end of July and his role as vanquisher of Voldemort. There were two boys who fit all the criteria of the prophecy- which sadly, I don't know the full range of; only Professor Dumbledore and Voldemort did -you and a boy named Neville Longbottom. James and Lily went into hiding using as many concealing spells and charms as possible. Do you remember what Master Jet taught you about the Fidelius Charm?"

"Yes," Harry said. "They used that, then? Who was their Secret Keeper?"

"Originally, it was going to be Sirius, but then he convinced Lily and James to use Peter Pettigrew," Kit told him, nearly growling Pettigrew's name in her disgust. "The only people who knew about the change were Sirius, myself, Peter, and the Potters. We couldn't be sure if Voldemort had spies in the Order's ranks, so no one else knew. It was only when all the wards and protections- some of them laid down by Master Assassins themselves -on the Potter house in Godric's Hollow fell that we realized what a grave mistake choosing Peter had been.

"I tried to get Sirius to wait until I had gathered my team and information about where Pettigrew was, but he wouldn't listen. He went after Peter himself and paid the price. Somehow, the street they were on were hit by a spell, killing twelve Muggles and apparently Pettigrew as well. All they found of him was a finger, but I don't trust that. It's never sat well with me."

"'They're not dead until there's a body,'" Harry quoted, "'and even then, use a Blood Identification Spell.'" It was something drilled into every Assassin in some of their first lessons, along with the three tenets of the Brotherhood's Code: one, stay your blade- and your wand -from the flesh of an innocent; two, hide in plain sight; and three, never compromise the Brotherhood.

"Exactly," Kit said, and then opened the photo album, laying it across her and Harry's laps. There were both Muggle and Wizarding photographs there, though the Wizarding ones outnumbered the Muggle two to one. Kit idly flipped through the pages, stopping on one in particular. There were only two photographs there; both were of her and Sirius, and both were magical. The first was simply the two of them pelting one another with snowballs, with James and Lily occasionally appearing and joining in. Their dæmons played along as well, and Kit's heart ached a little to see James' Kianeri and Lily's Wyrhin flying through the air, dodging the snowballs that missed their intended targets. Kianeri was a vibrant Stellar's Jay, and Wyrhin an elegant Coscoroba Swan. It looked like it had been taken when the four of them were just barely eighteen; the three non-Assassins still had a look of innocence about them, while the young Kit had a wary look to her, even as she laughed and had fun.

The other picture was of an older Sirius and Kit curled up on a couch together. It looked to have been taken a few years after the first picture. The Sirius and Kit in the picture were fast asleep, with Sirius' Chesapeake Bay Retriever dæmon curled around Karish, who looked the most relaxed Harry had ever seen him.

"He looks nice," Harry said after a moment of contemplation.

"He was," Kit replied with a sad smile. "I don't know how Azkaban has changed him, but I know it won't be for the best. That place is awful." She shuddered a little at the thought.

"I suppose we'll find out when we get to Hogwarts," Harry said. Over on the perch, Taradai cocked her head, her large amber eyes widening a bit.

"The others are here," she said just before there was a knock on the front door. Kit rose to her feet, setting the now-closed album on a side table before crossing to the door. Karish flew over to her and landed on her shoulder just as Kit opened the door. The rest of the Flock stood there, with Deneb- also known as Nick -in the lead. Harry saw the exact moment Kit slipped back into the role of Mistress Columbia thanks to the subtle adjustments in her body language, and followed her example, putting the persona of Aquila back on like a well-worn cloak. The other members of the Flock settled onto the various other chairs around the room, with Cassiopeia sitting on a chair near Aquila and Columbia's loveseat. Aquila looked over at his cousin- real name Felicity -giving her and her junco dæmon, Varron, a welcoming smile.

All but one member of the immediate Donovan family had bird-formed dæmons; Maria Donovan née Bianchi was the odd one out with a tuxedo cat named Basilio. She and Bran Donovan, the current patriarch of the Donovan family, had met when Bran had spent two years training in Italy when in his twenties. Maria and Bran had hit it off almost immediately, and married a few years later.

"Is everything okay?" Cassie asked quietly. Aquila nodded.

"Yeah, Liss," he replied, idly using Felicity's familial nickname. "Wait and see."

The low hum of chatter faded away when Columbia rejoined the Flock, sitting back down in her seat once again.

"The Council has given us some grave news, as well as an assignment," Columbia began with little preamble. "Sirius Black has somehow managed to escape from Azkaban Prison. He's been out for more than a week at best guess; the human guards only make weekly checks because of the effects of the dementors. Black is headed to Hogwarts for some reason. We don't know if he thinks that Harry Potter, such as he exists, is there or not, but it could be a strong contender for the best idea."

Here a few of the Flock chuckled, Aquila included; all of them knew of Aquila's birth identity, but none of them particularly cared about it. Aquila smiled briefly, but soon held up a hand to get his fellow Novices' attention.

"As amusing as that is, this is a serious mission," he said. "We're to locate Black before the Ministry of Magic does, and make sure he isn't recaptured by said Ministry. He's been a long-time ally of our cause. Point of interest, he was put in Azkaban without a trial, let alone a fair trial. We'll withhold any judgment until we've heard his account, as well as why he went to Hogwarts, especially when the Wizarding World in general believes that Harry Potter is either missing or dead. We'll Apparate into Hogsmeade, but we'll be bringing our brooms along as well for aerial surveillance. We'll set up our base in the Den located in the Forbidden Forest; its caretaker has been informed that we'll be arriving within the few next days. Once we get to the Forest Den, we'll scout out the grounds at night."

Here, Aquila's expression grew grim. "The Ministry, in its infinite wisdom, has decided to put a contingent of dementors around Hogwarts as a sort of guard against Sirius Black. They've been ordered to Kiss him on sight. We _cannot_ let that happen. We'll also need to brush up on the Patronus Charm; I know we've all been able to produce corporeal Patronuses in practice, but given the presence of the dementors, we'll need to be able to cast that spell at a moment's notice. I don't want to lose any of you. Understand?"

Every member of the Flock nodded, all taking Aquila very seriously. They knew the risk that came with their chosen way of life, as well as the dangers, natural and otherwise, of the Wizarding world. Columbia surveyed her students, a feeling of pride welling up in her at their maturity and levelheadedness. She knew quite a few Assassins who would not be willing to go against dementors, even those able to produce corporeal Patronuses.

"Good," she said, rising to her feet. "We'll leave in two hours. Pack enough clothes for a week; we'll have to use cleaning spells when they get dirty. Meet back here when you're ready, and then we'll leave. Say your goodbyes now; I don't know when we'll be back. It hopefully shouldn't take too long, but it could get complicated very fast. You may go."

The Flock disbursed, leaving only Columbia and Aquila in the house. Columbia sighed softly. "I suppose we should start packing," she said.

"Yeah," Aquila replied, getting to his feet as well. He paused for a moment at the foot of the staircase. "Do you think this'll turn out all right?"

Columbia smiled gravely. "We can only hope, love; we can only hope."


	4. Chapter Three: The Forest Den

It was almost evening when the Flock arrived in Hogsmeade. They had left a little later than planned, thanks to a delay on the Council's part, but eventually the Flock left Harper's Valley. The group appeared on the outskirts of the small Wizarding village, with Columbia quickly leading her pupils away into a nearby stand of trees. They got their brooms out, unshrank them, and then took to the air, heading towards Hogwarts, and, more specifically, the Forbidden Forest. The Flock went high enough not to be affected by the dementors' influence and then flew quickly to the Forest Den with Columbia leading the way, since she had been there several times before. There were only a few dementors guarding the border of the Forest, but the Flock left them rapidly behind.

Columbia led the Flock to the Den, directing them to land in a secluded clearing near the center of the Forest. The six Novices looked around once they landed, not sure if they were in the correct place. "There's nothing here," Lupa said, looking confused. Her wildcat dæmon, Dhosun, leapt down from her shoulders where he had been for the broom ride and began sniffing around in the leaf mold on the ground. Columbia smiled slightly.

"Watch and learn, my impatient pupil," she said, crossing the clearing and stopping next to a particularly gnarled oak. The Flock followed her, their dæmons keeping watch on their surroundings. Columbia firmly pressed her hand against a large, warty knot on the tree trunk, next to which an Assassin's insignia had been subtly carved. It was difficult to tell that the insignia was there; whoever had carved it into the wood had done so with a masterful hand.

A section of the broad tree trunk vanished, exposing a stone staircase that descended in a gentle spiral below ground level. Columbia led the way down the stairs, and after the last member of the group passed through the door, the missing part of then outside trunk snapped back into place, leaving the outside looking like a normal tree once again. The staircase went down fifty feet or so before leading to a comfortably furnished room that was at least a hundred feet in area. Rather than being a traditional rectangular room, it instead had circular walls decorated with richly woven tapestries. Four tunnels led off in different directions around the room. Three doors were set into the wall across from the staircase; all were bespelled to be resistant to rot and mold.

"Your sleeping quarters are to the left and right," Columbia said once everyone was down the stairs and in the main room. "I'll be sleeping in the center room. Pick your beds, put your extra gear away, and then kit up. You're going to do a quick aerial reconnaissance of the main grounds and get the lay of the land." She turned to Aquila and Deneb, the two leaders within the Flock. "Aquila, take Lupa and Orion with you and go clockwise around the grounds; Deneb, you, Cassiopeia, and Gemini go counter-clockwise. Keep high; I don't want anyone noticing you, so it would probably be beneficial to use Disillusionment Charms as an extra precaution."

"What will you be doing, ma'am?" Gemini asked, her squirrel dæmon, Russano, looking curiously at Karish.

"I'll be meeting with the Caretaker," Columbia replied. She gestured at the tunnel that ran towards Hogwarts. "We'll keep in touch via our communication charms. Try to keep the cross-channel chatter down to a minimum. Make notes of major landmarks as you go, and then we'll put it all together on a map later on. Does everyone understand their assignments?"

There was a scattered chorus of "Yes, ma'am," from the six Flock members, making Columbia nod in satisfaction.

"Good," she said. "Get going; report in every ten minutes with your positions and group counts. Don't forget to Disillusion yourselves before you go. We don't need our presence known here any more than it already will be."

The Flock dispersed once Columbia finished speaking, with the girls taking the room on the left and the boys the one on the right. Once everyone was ready and Disillusioned, they returned to the surface, the Forest rapidly darkening as twilight fell. Columbia watched them go and then went back below ground after activating the watch-wards and proximity alarms. She had keyed them into a special silver bracelet that she wore on her left wrist; three sapphires glowed gently in their settings, telling her that the wards were active. Columbia hummed a soft tune as she made her way down the tunnel to Hogwarts, Karish adding a soft bass as he glided along a few feet in front of her. She listened as the two teams made their initial check-ins and then went silent, with only the occasional comments activating the communication charms. Columbia set her charms to "listen-only" for the moment, though she would be able to activate their full communication abilities with a short spoken command.

It took about ten minutes to reach Hogwarts, and a further five to get to the small hidden chamber where Columbia was meant to meet the Caretaker. A fire crackled merrily on the wall across from the tunnel entrance, which itself was hidden behind a large painting of a pastoral landscape. Columbia could hear a few faint moos from the herd of cows in the picture and, with a faint smile that was hidden in the shadows of her cloak hood, stepped through the portrait hole. Said hood was edged in a soft dove gray, the mark of a Training Master or Mistress. The members of the Flock had plain white robes as befit Novices- albeit senior ones -with the only decoration being the plain silver clasps on their cloaks.

The Caretaker of the Forest Den was already waiting for Columbia when she entered the room, sitting on a wooden chair with his Airedale Terrier dæmon sitting attentively at his feet. Columbia had to hide her surprise at the sight of an unexpected third person in the room; it was only thanks to her extensive training that she and Karish didn't give their emotions away, be it through body language or otherwise.

"Hello," the Caretaker said, getting up from his chair and crossing the room to greet Columbia properly. The two of them shook hands briefly, and then the Caretaker stepped back a few feet to give Columbia her space. "I'm Professor Filius Flitwick," the Caretaker said, "the Charms Master here at Hogwarts. This is Remus Lupin, our Defense Against the Dark Arts Professor for this year."

"I was not informed that anyone outside the Brotherhood would be informed of our presence here," Columbia said, affecting a slight Italian accent as was her habit when meeting strangers. She gestured briefly at Remus. "You may call me Mistress Columbia, by the way. I am the leader of Star Flock."

"And where are they?" Remus asked. Columbia turned her attention to her old friend, her hazel eyes briefly focusing on Salinde, Remus' gray wolf dæmon, before flicking back up to his face.

"Patrolling the grounds, naturally," she replied simply. "I still haven't heard an explanation as to why you are here, _Professore_ Lupin. The less people who know about our presence here, the better."

"Of course," Flitwick replied, "but I felt it was necessary for Remus to be informed. He knew Sirius Black at Hogwarts and afterward. Therefore, he has a vested interest in how all of this turns out."

"He's also a werewolf," Columbia said matter-of-factly. Remus looked startled at her pronouncement; Salinde growled softly, her hackles raising and her lips curling back, showing her sharp teeth. The Training Mistress held up a quelling hand.

"I have nothing against you because of that," she explained. "I've known far too many good people who are just trying to live as normal of lives as they can while dealing with their monthly afflictions."

"How did you know?" Remus asked, recovering enough of his composure to be able to speak. Columbia smiled in the shadows of her hood.

"We do our research," she replied. "It is a vital part of our work that we know as many of the possible variables that we might encounter as possible. It can literally mean life or death for us, so it's better to be over-informed than under."

"And your- what did you call them, your Flock? -will they be as accepting of me as you are?" Remus wanted to know. Columbia was about to answer in the affirmative, but then Orion's voice came on over the communication charms.

" _Mistress Columbia?_ "

Columbia held up a hand and then muttered the activation phrase. "Go ahead, Orion," she replied, keeping her accent in place. Remus looked confused, while it only took Flitwick a few seconds to realize what was happening. He explained the situation to his colleague in a soft whisper as Columbia listened to Orion's report.

" _The perimeter sweep is complete, ma'am,_ " Orion told his teacher. " _We're returning to the Den. Have you met with the Caretaker?_ "

"Yes, I have," Columbia replied. "Once you get inside, stay there. I'll join you soon."

" _Understood, ma'am. Orion out._ "

"Is everything all right?" Flitwick asked politely after a minute's wait. Karish swiveled his head, focusing his amber eyes on the Charms master.

"Yes," Columbia replied. She sighed softly. "I suppose the two of you will be too busy to help much. However, I would ask that you keep us informed on any major updates within the castle itself. We won't be coming in unless necessary; we'll be keeping to the Forest for now, as that's the most likely place for Black to stay."

Remus looked dubious at this, but nodded anyways. "We'll do our best," he said. "You're not planning on turning Sirius over to the Ministry, are you?"

"Not until we know the full truth," Columbia replied, shaking her head. "Which means we need to talk with Black before the Ministry steps in."

"Good," Remus said firmly. "I want to know what really happened that day."

You're not alone in that regard, my friend, Columbia thought. She turned her attention back to Flitwick.

"I'll take my leave of you now," she said. "Contact me via the portrait of Grand Master Arcturus if anything happens." Columbia gestured to the portrait hanging over the fireplace. It showed a stern-looking Grand Master Assassin, a scar running diagonally across his left cheek. Arcturus nodded at Columbia in recognition of a fellow Assassin and then strolled out of his portrait, leaving only a plain background of a study lined with bookcases. When Flitwick and Remus were looking at the portrait, Columbia took advantage of their distraction and slipped back through the portrait hole, not bothering to give in to the temptation of stopping to see if Remus had noticed her leaving. She was relatively sure that Flitwick had seen her go, as she knew that he and his dæmon usually didn't miss a beat.

"Do you think they realized who we were, Kit?" Karish asked as they went.

Columbia shrugged. "I don't know," she replied, dropping her affected accent and the personality of Mistress Columbia. "Salinde didn't seem like she recognized our scent. If she did, she probably will tell Remus later."

"Hmm. I suppose time will tell," Karish said. He flew along for a couple more feet before continuing on. "I hope Sirius and 'Tia are okay."

"Merlin, I hope so too," Kit said fervently. The two of them fell silent, and remained so until they reached the Den. The Flock were waiting for them there, sitting in the main room on the comfortable chairs scattered about the room. Cassiopeia was working on a map with Orion, as the two of them were the best artists in the group. Lupa was napping in her chair, Dhosun curled up on her lap, while Deneb, Gemini, and Aquila were playing a quiet game of cards, though Columbia couldn't tell what game they were in the middle of.

Gemini looked up when Kit and Karish came in, setting her hand of cards down on the table in front of her. "Did everything go well?" she asked, scooping up her dæmon as she got to her feet.

"Hmm? Oh, yes, it did," Kit replied, absently stroking Karish's broad feathered back with one hand after he landed on her shoulder. "The Caretaker will inform us if there are any sightings of Black in the castle itself. We'll keep an eye on the outskirts of the school, the Forest, and Hogsmeade. Now, if you need to go into the village, go in mundane robes or Muggle clothes. Your white robes might look a little conspicuous for everyday wear."

"Sounds good, Mum," Harry said idly, paying more attention to his cards than Kit's words. Deneb snickered, nudging his friend with his elbow. Harry looked up, confused. "What?"

"You called her 'Mum'."

"So what?"

"So, I think it's time you all went to bed," Kit said, chuckling. All but Lupa groaned. "I know, I know," Kit continued on, "but we should be up early tomorrow. I want to scout out a bit around Hogsmeade and maybe stock up on supplies while we're there. We'll need food and other supplies, so a shopping trip's in order. Now get moving; I don't want to hear any more complaints."

With a bit of good-natured grumbling, the Flock did as told and got ready for bed, with Cassiopeia nudging Lupa awake and helping the bleary-eyed brunette make her way to a proper bed. Kit followed her own orders and went into her room once the others were all behind closed doors, sinking gratefully into her bed after she had gotten ready. It had been a long day, and she was definitely ready to sleep. After saying good night to Karish, who had settled on a dæmon perch near the door, Kit blew out the candle and settled in for the night, hoping that everything would turn out all right.


	5. Chapter Four: Meeting the Grim

Nothing much happened until Halloween, when a message came via the portrait of Grand Master Arcturus that Sirius Black had somehow managed to break into the castle. He had attempted to get into Gryffindor Tower, slashing the guardian portrait when she had refused him entrance. Sirius had also managed to escape capture, even though the entirety of the Hogwarts staff had been searching for him. The Flock immediately went on high alert, with Columbia leading a thorough search of the grounds; she planned on using the opportunity to test her pupils on their night-time tracking skills.

~/~/~

Sirius padded through the Forest, feeling greatly dismayed. He'd been unable to get to his prey, and had taken his anger out on the nearest thing that wouldn't shed blood. It hadn't made him feel much better; if anything, it had made him more frustrated, as well as a little guilty, because the Fat Lady had been the portrait hole guardian when he was at Hogwarts. His frustration stemmed from the fact that Peter was so close, and it rankled Sirius to know that the damn traitor was out of reach. He'd get Peter eventually, he was sure of it, but he'd just have to wait and plan a bit better for the next attempt.

With a huff of annoyance and resignation, Sirius went to a clearing where he knew a clear stream ran and stopped to get a drink. He was feeling thirsty, and figured that quenching said thirst would also help clear his thoughts a little. The clearing was quiet, and Sirius felt his guard relax incrementally as he started to lap at the fresh water. He could feel Avantia's vague approval at the back of his mind, something that calmed him down even further. It had been odd the first few times he, James, and Peter had transformed; none of them had really been prepared for their dæmons to disappear from sight. It had only been when James had changed back and Kianeri had reappeared out of thin air that the three newly-made Animagi had calmed down. The three of them could still hear their dæmons while in their animal forms, though it was more along the lines of feelings and vague impressions than true words.

A nearby noise caused Sirius to look up sharply, water dripping from his muzzle as he moved. A tall figure dressed entirely in gray-black hooded robes stood not more than a hundred feet away on the other side of the clearing, a broom held in their left hand. Sirius froze, his mind racing. He could smell the spicy aroma of magic in the newcomer's scent, but it was different than that of the people in the castle nearby in a way Sirius couldn't place, exactly. He also couldn't quite make out the exact type of owl the figure's dæmon was as it perched on their left shoulder, given his sadly lacking night vision; the dæmon's large amber eyes reflected the light of the moon high overhead. Sirius turned to go, hoping that the newcomer would just think that he was a normal stray dog, but his hopes were dashed- and then impossibly raised -when the figure called out to him.

"Padfoot, wait!"

Sirius froze. There had been only five people in the world that had ever called him that, and given that two of them were dead and of the remaining three, two of those were men, that left only one person: Kit. Sirius turned back, hope rising in his heart. It was an odd feeling after spending almost twelve years in Azkaban, to be sure, but Sirius ignored that. The woman lowered her hood, revealing her face. It was Kit, and looking as beautiful as ever. It had been twelve long years since Sirius had last laid eyes on her, and those years had been far kinder to her than they had to him. With a joyful bark, Sirius bounded forwards, his tail wagging so hard that it was a thin black blur in the air behind him. His forward progress was abruptly stopped when an Immobilizing Charm hit him, freezing him mid-leap. Sirius was very confused; Kit hadn't cast the spell as far as he could tell, and he hadn't heard anyone else do it, either.

His questions were mostly answered when a second Assassin- or at least, that's what Sirius assumed, given that they were dressed in a similar outfit to Kit's -landed next to Kit. They glanced at Sirius and then spoke quietly to the elder Assassin.

"Is that him?"

Sirius could just make out that the new Assassin was a male and had a slight Northern accent; his Great Horned Owl dæmon kept a sharp eye on Sirius as her human talked with Kit.

"Yes," Kit replied. She glanced over at Sirius as well, who whined pleadingly a little at his continued immobility. She smiled slightly. "I think you can let him down, Aquila. He won't hurt us."

Aquila flicked his wand almost negligently (Sirius hadn't seen him draw it, something that made the Animagus very wary indeed), ending the spell soundlessly. Sirius landed on the ground with a solid thump. He shook himself out and then sat down, waiting to see what would happen next.

"It'll probably be easier to get back to the Den if he's human," Aquila said. He turned his full attention to Sirius. "Go on: the sooner we move, the better."

"Agreed, though we'll have to go via foot rather than broom; his dæmon is too big for one. Sirius, if you would?" Kit asked. Sirius considered his options for a moment, woefully limited as they were, and then shifted back to human, Avantia reappearing instantly by his side. She was as emaciated and ragged-looking as he was, a far cry from their pre-Azkaban days. Sirius hesitated, not sure how Kit would receive him after all these years apart, but he needn't have worried. Kit closed the distance between then, Karish launching himself from her shoulder and soaring over to Avantia. Dæmon and woman reached their respective distaff counterparts at the same time. Kit carefully embraced Sirius while Karish landed lightly on Avantia's back and gently began to groom her shaggy, unkempt fur with his beak.

Sirius stood there stiffly for a few seconds and then slowly returned Kit's hug, relaxing into the first caring human contact he'd had in over a decade. The human guards didn't bother to really interact much with the prisoners at Azkaban, and the dementors sure as hell didn't care about the emotional welfare of their prisoners. Azkaban had been sterile and devoid of all emotion save for the ever-present atmosphere of depression and fear generated by the dementors. It had also been surprisingly clean, but given that all but one of the prisoners were trapped in their own heads and the lights were dim, none of them had really noticed. Sirius gave into the urge to bury his nose in Kit's hair as he hugged her, taking a deep breath in. The smell of the coconut-scented shampoo and lilac perfume that Kit wore flooded his senses, as did the feeling of contentment coming from Avantia as Karish continued to groom her fur. Sirius wished he was cleaner, but then again, there hadn't been much of a chance to bathe, if one didn't count the swim across the North Sea from Azkaban to England.

The embrace lasted a few more seconds, and then Kit released Sirius. "We'd best get moving," she said, giving Sirius a brief smile before turning to Aquila. "There's a tunnel about eight minutes' walk that way. We'll meet you and the others back at the Den."

Aquila nodded and then got back on his broom, soaring quickly into the sky and disappearing from sight into the darkness. Sirius followed him briefly, an odd feeling of _deja vu_ washing over him as he watched the young Assassin and his dæmon fly away. There was something familiar about Aquila's flying style, but Sirius couldn't place it. With a shrug, Sirius turned to Kit.

"Shall we?" He gave her a tentative grin. Kit returned it, though her smile was quite a bit more confident.

"Yes," she said. "The tunnel's just this way; the rest of the Flock should be at the Den by now."

"There's more than just the two of you?"

Kit laughed. "Don't worry, Pads; you'll love them."

Sirius looked doubtful. "Well, all right. Let's get going before anyone else comes."

~/~/~

The rest of the Flock were waiting in the Den when Aquila returned from his patrol sans Columbia. Deneb's brow furrowed in confusion when he saw that Aquila was alone.

"Where's Mistress Columbia?" he asked, setting down the notebook in which he had been recording his daily observations.

"She's on her way," Deneb replied, leaning his broom against the wall near the staircase. "We met Black in the Forest; they can't come by brooms, since his dæmon is too big to fit on a broom, so they're going by tunnel."

Deneb started in his seat, nearly dislodging his ferret dæmon, Avena, from his lap. "You met Black?" he sputtered, losing the cool that he was normally known for. "He didn't attack you?"

Aquila shook his head. "No," he replied as he lowered his hood. He crossed the room and then flopping down in a chair near the fireplace; Taradai landed on the back of his chair, ruffling her wings idly as she settled down. "He and Mistress Columbia knew each other from way back," he continued on. "Unless Black gives us a reason to distrust him, we'll just have to follow the Mistress' lead and trust him as well."

"All right," Deneb said, settling back in his chair. His dæmon curled up on his lap once more, crossing her front paws over one another in a demure fashion. Deneb watched Aquila sink into a thoughtful silence, and wondered what was going through his leader's mind. As close as the Flock were- they had been training together since they had been six -there were times when Aquila's status as their leader caused him to distance himself from the others. Often times, when one of the others had a problem, they would come to Deneb rather than Mistress Columbia or Aquila, as the young second-in-command seemed to be more approachable than the Training Mistress or Flock leader. Deneb didn't really mind all that much; there was an unspoken agreement amongst the members of the Flock that if the problem was big enough, Deneb would take it to Columbia and Aquila for advice or resolution.

Deneb's train of thought was derailed when Columbia and an emaciated man the young brunet could only assume was Black came out of one of the tunnels. Deneb saw that his fellow Novices subtly shook back their sleeves, making sure that their wand and blade bracers were free, just in case. He did the same, wanting to be prepared in any eventuality. Mistress Columbia noticed this but didn't comment on her pupils' actions; after all, she had trained them to do this exact thing herself in an uncertain situation like this.

"As I'm sure you've surmised," Columbia said to the room in general, "this is Sirius Black. He'll be staying with us until the mission is over." At her words, a new door appeared next to the one leading to the girls' sleeping quarters; presumably, the various enchantments on the Den had provided Sirius with sleeping quarters of his own. "Anyways," Columbia continued on, "I'll be contacting Caretaker Flitwick and informing him that we need to meet with him and Professor Lupin as soon as possible." She glanced at Sirius briefly before speaking again. "Aquila, you and Deneb will accompany Sirius and me to the meeting. I want you to act as witnesses to the story Sirius will be telling."

"Yes, Ma'am," Aquila and Deneb chorused. Sirius looked at the two of them and then started when he saw Aquila. His gray eyes widened, and he looked about to speak when Mistress Columbia placed a slender hand on one of his arms. She shook her head and muttered something that Deneb couldn't hear. Sirius nodded, not taking his eyes off of Aquila.

"We'll rest for the night and then go in the morning," Columbia finished. "It'd be best if we prepared ourselves before we speak with the others."

"Agreed," Sirius said, his voice low and raspy. He grinned sheepishly. "I could do with a bath and a hair cut before I'd be fit for any sort of company, polite or not."

"I could use that as well," Avantia murmured with a soft chuckle. She sat down and idly scratched at an ear with a back leg. Sirius fondly rubbed the other ear and then turned to Columbia. "Is there a bath in my room?" he asked. Columbia nodded.

"Yes," she said. "Oh, before you go to your room, I've got something for you."

She quickly went into her quarters, leaving the door half-open as she fetched something for Sirius. Columbia returned a few minutes later, carrying a velvet-wrapped bundle. She handed it to Sirius, who took it curiously. He unwrapped it carefully, his eyebrows raising when he saw what was contained within.

"How in Merlin's name did you manage to get my wand? I thought that the Ministry would have snapped it in two when I went to Azkaban," he said, reverently removing his wand from the velvet it was nestled in. Columbia smiled slightly.

"We have several representatives in the Ministry," she said, "including one in the Department of Magical Law Enforcement. It was easy enough to get this, especially since no one seemed to notice the switch."

"Oh. Well, thanks." Sirius waved the wand experimentally, and was gratified to see a small shower of sparks come from the tip as he rebonded with the magical tool. Columbia smiled again and then turned to her Flock.

"Bed, now," she said. "I have a feeling that we'll be leaving here soon. Make sure to gather your belongings; I don't want anything to be left behind."

The Flock gave their scattered assent and then said goodnight, getting up from their various seats and making their way towards their rooms. Columbia watched them go, a small smile of satisfaction forming on her face unconsciously as she observed her students. They would make capable Assassins one day, that much she knew. She also knew that the day when she would have to let them fly without her was coming ever closer, something that both excited and pained her to think about. Columbia sighed softly before shaking her head. There was no use in getting melancholy right now, especially not when one of the hardest parts of this mission- retrieving Sirius Black alive and well -was over. Now was the time to figure out how to get him out of the grounds to safety and clear his name. The former was the most important; the latter could wait for a little longer. After all, the whole story needed to be heard, and that could only be done tomorrow.

With that in mind, Columbia turned her attention back to Sirius, intent on saying goodnight to the former prisoner. She found him staring at the fire, idly rolling his wand back and forth in his long fingers.

"Sirius?" she asked, crossing the room to stand near him. "Are you all right?"

"Hmm?" Sirius turned his head, blinking a bit as he refocused on her face. "Oh. I don't know, Kit," he said truthfully. "It's a bit much to take in at the moment. I mean, not an hour ago I was wondering how I'd survive for much longer out here, and now I'm standing here in some sort of underground hideout, holding my wand and contemplating how long of a shower I can take without using up all the hot water in the place."

"Ah, I see," Kit said, dropping the persona of Columbia with practiced ease. She sat down in a nearby chair and gestured for Sirius to take a seat across from her. He did so, Avantia laying close to the fire and soaking in its warmth. "Well," Kit continued on, "think of it as a chance to restart what was stopped twelve years ago. Most of that, anyways." She smiled sadly, glancing briefly at the fire before going on. "Not everything can be how it was, unfortunately."

"Yes." Sirius fell silent for a few seconds and then spoke again, his brow furrowed gently as he tried to sort out his thoughts. "That boy I saw earlier-"

"Which one?"

"The one with the Horned Owl dæmon. Who was he? He looked so damn much like James; it was eerie," Sirius finished. Kit nodded, gently stroking Karish's broad feathery back as he perched on the left armrest of her chair.

"Yes, he does, doesn't he?" she mused. "I was rather surprised he still retained that strong of a resemblance as he grew; the blood-adoption spell should've made him look more like the Donovan and Bianchi families, but I suppose the Potter blood won out. It makes sense, I guess. The Potter House is Ancient and Noble and all that stuff." She waved a hand dismissively.

"Wait, so he's what, James' cousin or something?" Sirius asked, confused. Kit shook her head.

"Not his cousin. His son. That's Harry."

Sirius was dumbfounded, and it took him a few seconds to find his voice again. "But- But that boy was seventeen at the very least!" he said, shocked. "Harry should only be thirteen by now."

Kit smiled wryly. " He should be, but there was an accident," she said, "with an Aging Potion earlier this year. It took our best Healers to get them all to settle down to a reasonable age. Unfortunately, that meant that their dæmons settled prematurely as well." Kit frowned. "Sometimes I wonder what they would have been had the Flock grown up normally." She shook her head. "I suppose we'll never know. Still, no matter."

"No matter? No matter?" Sirius spluttered. "You're telling me that Harry, our Harry, is four years older than he should be, and that it's no matter? What's wrong with you? You make it sound like you don't care!"

Kit gave him a sharp look, one that was very reminiscent of an owl's piercing gaze. "Don't you dare to presume about what I do and don't care about," she hissed, her eyes narrowing. "I have raised Harry ever since that night, and let me tell you, I have agonized over nearly every decision I've made concerning his upbringing, including allowing him to follow in my footsteps. Yes, I could have left him to be raised by those awful Muggles that share Lily's blood like Dumbledore intended, but I didn't. I could have chosen not to introduce him to a large part of his heritage, both magical and mundane, but I didn't. I could have allowed him to attend Hogwarts instead of teaching him myself, but I didn't.

"I also could have allowed Dumbledore to mold him into some sort of sacrificial lamb meant to cleanse the Wizarding World of all its evil, but I didn't. Instead, I allowed him to grow into the man he chose to be, something I think Lily and James would have approved of, and until I hear otherwise, I'm going to continue to do that. He is not James, Sirius, nor will he ever be. He is his own person, and nothing anyone says will change that. I am proud to call him my son, even if I didn't give birth to him."

Kit rose to her feet in one graceful motion, Karish hopping onto the wrist that was offered to him. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to go to bed. I suggest that, once you take your shower, you do the same. There will be clean clothes and new shoes awaiting you in your rooms; if you get hungry, there's food in the kitchen over there." She pointed to the small kitchenette that was tucked into a large hollow in the far wall; a magically-powered refrigerator sat next to a similarly-enchanted stove and a stone sink, with artfully carved cupboards surrounding the entire ensemble.

"Good night, Mr. Black," Kit finished icily, and then swept off to her room, pointedly closing the door behind her without a single glance back at Sirius. The wizard watched her go, a sort of dumb shock keeping him from calling out to her retreating form.

"Well, that went well," Avantia said dryly once she was sure Kit was out of earshot. "Brilliant work there. I especially liked the bit where you put your foot in your mouth. How'd that taste, by the way?"

"Shut up," Sirius growled, pushing himself up from his chair and stalking toward the kitchen. Avantia didn't move, watching Sirius walk until he reached the outer limit of their soul-bond. He staggered a few steps and then turned around, surprised.

"'Tia!" he said, his voice rough with shock. "What are you doing?"

Avantia sniffed delicately. "Nothing," she replied. "That is, until you promise me something."

"And what would that be?" Sirius asked as he took a few steps toward his dæmon to lessen the ache in his heart from the sudden stretching of their bond.

"That you think up a sincere apology for Kit and then deliver it to her in the morning," Avantia replied, slowly getting to her feet and stretching languorously on the rug. "You were an idiot, and you know it. Therefore, you have to make it right."

"But-"

"No 'buts', Sirius," Avantia snapped. "You were the one who stupidly went after Pettigrew alone all those years ago, not listening to a word either Kit or I said, consumed with only revenge. Now you're letting your pride blind you. Maybe it's time you started listening to me. Of course, what do I know? I'm only your soul."

Sirius stared at her for a few seconds and then sighed. "Oh, all right," he said, "but can I get something to eat now? Rabbit's only good if I'm in dog form, and even then I'm hungry again a half-hour later."

Avantia chuckled softly and then went to rejoin her human, nudging his legs with her shoulder as she caught up with him. "All right," she said, "but nothing too heavy. Your body won't be used to it, and I don't have the necessary appendages to hold your hair back while you're puking your guts out over a toilet."

"Lovely imagery there, 'Tia."

"I try."

Sirius' hoarse laughter filled the room, the sound echoing softly from the round walls. The portrait of Grand Master Arcturus watched the ex-prisoner and his dæmon putter around the kitchen, make a sandwich, and then disappear into the room the Den had provided for them. Silence fell over the Den once more, with only the soft pops and crackles from the dying fire to break its hold.


	6. Chapter Five: Revelations, Part One

Aquila was one of the first of the Flock up the next morning. He dressed in his white Assassin's robes, flicking his wand and smoothing out the wrinkles in the fabric as he left the bedroom. Aquila liked getting up early. It gave him time to sort out his thoughts and plans for the day before he had to interact with anyone other than his dæmon, and it also gave him the opportunity to cook breakfast for everyone. He genuinely liked cooking; it was soothing, and let him indulge his creative side. Columbia had encouraged all members of the Flock to find a creative pursuit to keep themselves occupied, and cooking had quickly become Aquila's chosen field of expertise. It had also carried over to his skill in Potions, something that he apparently shared with his birth mother, Lily. Kit had told him that James had been skilled in Transfiguration and Charms, two subjects Aquila was talented in, but not as much as Potions and Defense Against the Dark Arts. The classes taught at the Academy in Harper's Valley were far more hands-on than the ones at Hogwarts, focusing more on practical applications for the spells and casting techniques learned than the theoretical ones most Wizarding students were taught. They were also taught magic quite a bit earlier; most eleven-year-old Novices could comfortably do spells that a third year Hogwarts student would just be learning.

The Flock leader hummed softly to himself as he got out the necessary ingredients for a multi-serving frittata, as well as some sausages. A flick of his wand sent a jug of pumpkin juice floating over to the table in the center of the large circular room; the jug settled onto the exact center of the table with a soft chink of pottery against wood. The soft sizzle of the sausages cooking soon filled the air, as did the savory scents of the rosemary and garlic in the frittata. Taradai was perched on the back of a nearby chair as Aquila cooked, idly preening her back feathers in order to straighten them out. She looked up from her task when one of the doors to the sleeping quarters opened.

Sirius emerged fully dressed but bleary-eyed from his room, yawning widely as he shuffled out into the main room. Avantia padded beside him, her newly-trimmed fur gleaming in the torchlight. Sirius had used his wand to groom his dæmon, using a similar spell to make his appearance more presentable as well. His hair was now cut nearly as short as it had been pre-Azkaban, and he was clean-shaven once more. It felt good to be back to some semblance of his old self, even if he was about twenty pounds underweight. The food at Azkaban was just nutritious enough to keep the prisoners alive, but not much else. It sure as hell wasn't flavorful, that was for sure. Nor did it smell as good as whatever it was that Harry- no, not Harry, Aquila -was cooking in the small kitchen. Sirius' stomach growled a bit at the savory scent of the cooking food, prompting him to move closer to its source.

Taradai turned her head at the movement, her large amber eyes focusing on Sirius and Avantia's approach. Aquila kept his attention focused on the pan, meticulously browning the top of the frittata with a carefully applied heat spell.

"Feel free to sit down; the food will be ready momentarily. Did you sleep well?"

Sirius jumped at the sudden question, his heartbeat and breath quickening as he registered who was speaking to him. It was Aquila's dæmon, something that was even more surprising than the question had been; dæmons rarely talked to anyone besides their human and their fellow dæmons, so to have the great horned owl talk directly to him unnerved Sirius greatly.

"I- Yes, thank you," Sirius replied, quickly regaining his composure. "Thank you for asking."

"No problem," Aquila said, taking the pan off the stove and then carefully sliding the frittata onto a large plate after turning the stove off. "The shorter hair suits you."

Sirius ran a hand through his newly shorn locks self-consciously and then looked at the frittata, which Aquila was now cutting into ten even pieces. Any further discussion was curtailed when the other members of the Flock emerged from their rooms, with Kit adjusting the set of her sleeves to leave her wrist bracers free. Kit barely glanced at Sirius as she crossed the room and gave Aquila a hug in greeting.

"Sleep well, love?" she asked, dropping a kiss onto the top of Aquila's head as she released him. Aquila smiled fondly at his mother's actions and then started to serve up the food.

"Yes, mum," he replied, plating the first slice of frittata and sausages and then handing it to Kit before getting his own food. Kit took her food over to the table and sat down, Aquila following after her. The other members of the Flock bade each other and Sirius a good morning as they got their own food, with Deneb waiting until everyone save for Sirius had gotten their food before taking one of the last pieces of frittata and a few sausages. Sirius took some food for himself, heeding Avantia's advice from the prior night and keeping the portions small, since he knew it wouldn't go well if he indulged in excess when his stomach wasn't used to it. He settled down in a chair near the fireplace, which had magically been re-lit at dawn, as there wasn't enough space at the table for him to sit.

Sirius quietly ate his food, Avantia laying on the area rug at his feet. The lanky wizard ate slowly, wanting to savor the truly delicious yet simple meal. His concentration was broken when a wooden goblet of pumpkin juice magically floated over to him and landed on the small table next to his chair. Sirius looked up, his fork pausing halfway to his mouth in surprise. Aquila watched him with a hint of amusement in his bright green eyes; the young man flexed his right wrist, making his wand disappear into nothingness. Sirius' eyebrows rose in recognition of the motion, his head tilting in an unconscious mirror of his dog self. It'd been a while since he'd seen that trick; Kit had always used to do that, and despite Sirius' asking, had never revealed the secret to him, even though he had said that it would have been useful to know if he was ever captured by the enemy. Of course, knowing him, Sirius would have probably used it as a party trick or part of his pranks, but he'd never tell Kit that.

Sirius smiled at Aquila in thanks, the expression feeling slightly odd, as he hadn't smiled in quite a long time. Azkaban wasn't exactly conducive to smiles. Aquila nodded and then returned to his food, turning to Deneb, who sat to his right and then engaged the other young man in conversation. Sirius picked up the goblet and took a sip of the chilled juice within. He couldn't help the pleased low rumble that escaped his throat at the sweet taste of the liquid. He hadn't had pumpkin juice since before Azkaban. Avantia's tail thumped against the floor in shared appreciation, especially after Sirius shared a bit of his sausage with her. Sirius finished his meal a few minutes later, with Avantia polishing off the last morsel of sausage in one swift gulp.

The others finished their meals a few minutes later, with Lupa losing the furiously rapid rock-paper-scissors match that ensued amongst the members of the Flock that were staying behind. She started to magically gather the dishes and cups to wash up, collecting Sirius' as she passed him on the way to the sink. Sirius rose to his feet, feeling far better than he had in a long while. Kit pulled on her hood, assuming the persona of Mistress Columbia once more. Aquila and Deneb followed her example, concealing their faces in the shadows of their hoods. Columbia led the way down the tunnel to Hogwarts, with Sirius a few steps behind her and Deneb and Aquila taking the back. Taradai and Karish flew a little way ahead of Columbia and Aquila, while Avantia and Avena padded alongside their respective humans.

Columbia had sent a message ahead via the portrait of Grand Master Arcturus, and Professor Flitwick had replied, saying that he and Professor Lupin would be awaiting the Assassins and their guest.

"Just to let you know," Columbia said quietly to Sirius as they walked, "Remus is unaware of my true identity. Similarly, no one outside of the Brotherhood is aware of Aquila's birth identity. I'd prefer that it remain that way." She looked at him seriously. "I don't want him dragged into a war he's not involved in."

"He's been involved in it since before he was born," Sirius replied, keeping his voice down as well. "You know that, Kit."

"Yes, but that doesn't mean he has to follow the winding path laid down for him in a vague prophecy made by a half-drunk Seer," Columbia whispered fiercely. She paused when Taradai glided past her, the dæmon's broad wings just barely ghosting past Columbia, and then continued on once she and Sirius were alone again. "Unless circumstances change, it will be up to Aquila to chose whether or not he wants to join in a war begun far before he was ever born."

The two adults fell silent for the remainder of the journey, each lost in their own thoughts. It was only when the group of four reached the entrance to the meeting chamber that Columbia spoke, this time addressing Aquila and Deneb.

"Aquila, Deneb," she began. The two Novices broke off from the quiet conversation they had been having and paid strict attention to their Training Mistress. "Please do not speak until I tell you or unless necessary. Simply observe the goings on. Do you have any questions?"

Both Novices shook their heads. "Good," Columbia continued on. "Follow me, then, if you would." Columbia pushed open the portrait; a few chickens clucked in conjunction with the cows' mooing this time, making Deneb chuckle softly in response. Flitwick and Remus were waiting for them as promised, with Flitwick sitting in the same chair he had been when Columbia first met him and Remus in another chair nearby. The two teachers rose to their feet when the portrait opened; Remus reflexively went for his wand when he caught sight of Sirius while Salinde growled softly at Avantia as she entered the room.

"That's more than enough of that, Remus," Columbia said sternly as Karish landed on her shoulder. It was only after Remus looked at her in surprise that Columbia realized she had used his first name rather than an impersonal address. She regained her composure quickly, however, and kept speaking. "Mr. Black is not dangerous, so there's no need to draw wands," she continued on, throwing a quick glance at Sirius, just in case. Columbia gestured at the two youngest people in the room. "These are the two lead Novices of my Flock, Aquila and Deneb. They, as well as any member of my Flock, are completely trustworthy, so anything said to or around them will be held in the strictest confidence."

"That's good to know," Flitwick said with a slight smile. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Novices."

"The pleasure is ours, Keeper Flitwick," Aquila replied with a short bow in respect to the elder Assassin. Deneb mirrored his actions and then retrieved his dæmon as he straightened back up. Flitwick motioned for the newcomers to take seats, Summoning some comfortable chairs out of thin air and then taking his seat once more. Columbia sat down in one of the chairs, with Aquila, Deneb, Remus, and Sirius taking the remaining seats.

After a few moments' silence, Remus sighed and then spoke. "All right, I suppose I'll ask the question I'm sure everyone's wanting to know: how and why did you escape Azkaban, Sirius?"

Sirius smiled lopsidedly and then reached into an inner pocket of his robes. He withdrew a much-folded piece of paper and handed it to Remus. The werewolf took the worn piece of newsprint and opened it, his brow furrowing in confusion as he looked it over.

"I don't understand," he said finally. "It's just that picture of the Weasley family the Prophet featured over the summer when they won that Galleon draw. What's so special about it?"

"Look at the rat on the youngest boy's shoulder, Remus," Sirius said, leaning forward in his chair. "Look closely, I mean."

Remus looked back down at the picture, smoothing it out the best he could on his lap. Salinde cocked her head, trying to see what Sirius meant as well. Remus focused on the happily waving image of the youngest Weasley boy, Ron; the young Gryffindor was in one of Remus' third year classes, though Remus had never really spoken to him outside of the classroom. Initially, Remus had taken the rat as Ron's dæmon, but upon closer examination, Remus realized that the lively vixen at Ron's feet was the boy's soul-companion. In contrast to the petite fox's glossy-looking fur and general air of good health, the rat on Ron's shoulder looked very careworn and unkempt; if Remus didn't know any better, he'd say that the rat was ill. It was also missing a toe on one of its front paws, a fact that didn't really register as important in Remus' mind until Salinde pointed it out.

"Remus, wasn't the only thing that the Aurors found of Peter's body was a finger?" she asked, looking up at her man.

"Exactly," Avantia said, her tail wagging grimly. "It could be just a fluke chance, but we highly doubt it."

"Pardon me, but are you saying that Peter Pettigrew was an Animagus?" Flitwick asked, looking surprised. "As far as I know, he's not in the official registry."

"He wouldn't have been," Sirius said with a slight smirk. "Nor would I or James Potter."

Flitwick's eyebrows rose, threatening to disappear into his flyaway hairline. "And when in the world did you manage to first perform the transformation? Surely not at Hogwarts; you three would have been far too young to manage it successfully."

Sirius laughed, a hoarse chuckle escaping him. "Somewhere around fifth year, I think," he replied. "James was the one who came up with the idea, if I remember right. Peter needed some help with it, but eventually he managed to transform; his Animagus form was a rat, mine was a dog, and James' was a stag." Sirius shifted around in his chair, trying to get his thoughts in order before continuing on. "I escaped Azkaban as a dog; the dementors seemed to not notice my thoughts as much, which meant I could keep my sanity, unlike the rest of the prisoners. I was thin enough to slip past the bars in dog form after the weekly check-up by the human guards and managed to escape." He shivered. "The North Sea is very unforgiving, but I finally made it to land and started going north. I've been living in the Forbidden Forest ever since I got here."

While the adults spoke with one another about what to do next, Deneb and Aquila kept to the background. Deneb glanced at Aquila and then moved his hands in a series of swift movements meant only for his leader's eyes.

_Hey, I've got an idea,_ Deneb signed, keeping his hands close to his chest in a 'whisper'.

_What would that be?_ Aquila replied, Taradai keeping her attention on the adults as Aquila talked.

_Well, they teach about Animagi here, right?_

_Probably, considering that they teach Transfiguration and Charms. Why?_

Deneb explained his idea to Aquila, who grinned brightly once he was done, even though the expression wasn't visible. _Let's tell the others, then,_ he signed. _It's your idea, so you tell them._

Deneb nodded and then stepped forwards, clearing his throat to get the others' attention.

"Yes, Deneb?" Columbia said, turning her attention to her student.

"Actually, I have a question for Professors Lupin and Flitwick, ma'am," Deneb said respectfully. He turned to the two professors, and, after a short signed conversation with Aquila, lowered his hood. Remus looked surprised to see that Deneb was as young as some of his seventh year students.

"Do you teach about Animagi here?" Deneb asked, looking from one teacher to the other and then back again.

"Yes," Remus said, absently folding the picture up and handing it back to Sirius. "Our Transfiguration Professor, Minerva- Professor McGonagall -usually teaches it, given that she's an Animagus herself, so it's well within her purview."

"We can use that to our advantage, then," Deneb suggested. "If we can get as many credible witnesses as possible in one place and then reveal Pettigrew for the traitor that he is, then the Ministry will have to provide public answers in regards to the lack of a fair trial for and the subsequent wrongful imprisonment of Sirius Black. Our Flock can place wards around the area- I suggest doing this either outside or in a large classroom -that won't let him change back once he's been forcibly shifted. If we have your Professor McGonagall undergo the spell first as an example, then hopefully Mr. Weasley will be more easily convinced to let you use his pet as a test subject. In conjunction with that, our Flock can blend in with the students, especially if it's a mixture of year-levels."

Flitwick looked thoughtful. "Well, I'm sure I can get some of my elder students in the crowd, especially if I tell them it's for extra credit. They'll have already learned all of the theory, but a practical demonstration of the reversal spell wouldn't be on the curriculum normally unless they were taking NEWT-level Charms, and not all of them are."

"I can do the same," Remus said. "All that's really left would be to arrange it all with Professors McGonagall and Dumbledore."

Aquila nodded. "It might be beneficial if the Headmaster was there as well," she said. "Most of the Wizarding World considers Albus Dumbledore to be a champion of the Light, and to have him there when a great injustice like that was righted would just amplify that image in their minds."

Columbia rolled her eyes in the privacy of her hood. Yes, Dumbledore would just love something like that, wouldn't he? She kept her observations to herself; besides, for all the faults Dumbledore had, he had done quite a bit for the good of the world, Wizarding and Muggle, even if the young Training Mistress didn't agree with some of the Headmaster's methods for achieving said results. The abandonment of one Harry Potter on the doorstep of his anti-Wizarding Muggle relatives, for one.

"Very well," she said. "You two take care of the arrangements with Dumbledore and McGonagall. We'll wait for your cue; the wards won't take that long to set up; maybe a minute at the most if we're slow," here she grinned, "and trust me, we won't be."

"Maybe it would be good if one of you goes with them," Sirius suggested. "Just to scout out a place for all of this to go down."

"No." When Sirius looked about ready to protest at the sharp note of disagreement, Aquila held up a mollifying hand. "Not that that's a bad idea, but I'm sure Professor McGonagall at the very least will know most of her students, if not all of the elder ones, by dæmon if not by name. Albus Dumbledore may have been a trusted ally of the Brotherhood at one time, but at the moment, he is considered to be a neutral party in any of our dealings. We're risking enough as it is blending in with the students en masse; we don't need to risk further exposure by revealing ourselves to individual teachers, let alone individual students."

"Hmmph." Sirius looked annoyed, but merely let one hand drop and ruffle Avantia's soft ears in lieu of a response. He knew he was sulking a little, but honestly, he didn't really care at the moment. He just wanted this to be over as soon as possible, and try to get back to as normal of a life as he could manage once his name was cleared. He wasn't sure where he'd go if and when that happened, but he'd figure something out. He was resourceful like that.

"Right." Columbia clapped her hands together, making a sharp noise as she did so. "You two go and get things ready, and we'll get ourselves prepared. Give us a shout through the portrait when everything's set."

She rose to her feet and then sank into a bow, making sure to dip down only as far as befitted an Assassin of her status saying farewell to someone of Professor Flitwick's rank. Flitwick got up and returned the bow; his was a touch deeper than Columbia's, but only by a few degrees. Sirius, Aquila, and Deneb said their goodbyes as well, and then the three Assassins and one escaped convict left, their dæmons following after them.


	7. Chapter Six: Revelations, Part Two

It took until that Monday for everything to come together. By then, Sirius was starting to itch for action, and chafed at being kept in the confines of the Den. The Flock concentrated on their work and patrols, with Kit acting as a central hub for advice and directions. It allowed her to keep an eye on Sirius as well, which helped matters greatly. They had just finished lunch when the portrait of Grand Master Arcturus called out to them.

"Training Mistress Columbia? The Caretaker and Professor Lupin are ready for you and your Flock in the meeting chamber," he said. "Whenever you're ready."

Kit looked up from where she was doing the hand-washing and then nodded. "Thank you, Grand Master," she said, finishing up the plate she'd been washing and then setting it aside in the drying rack. She dried off her hands before turning to her Flock. "Alright, everyone, let's go. Sirius, you're going to stay with Remus. No offense, but I don't want you messing this up. You're going to stay with him in his office until this is over and done with, understood?"

"But-!"

"No buts," Kit said firmly as she drew her hood up to cover her head, donning the role of Mistress Columbia as she did so. "I'm not letting revenge get in the way of proper justice." She looked at the others. "Black out your robes and hoods up, please."

She led the way in example, activating a rune on the inside of her left sleeve with a simple murmured activation word, turning them a dark black that would pass casual inspection. The others followed suit, and once they were all ready, Columbia went down the tunnel and then through the portrait hole. Just as Grand Master Arcturus had said, both Flitwick and Lupin were waiting for them in the meeting chamber.

" _Professore_ Lupin," Columbia said with a small nod of greeting. "Keeper Flitwick. This is the rest of Star Flock."

"Training Mistress Columbia," Flitwick replied. "Star Flock."

"Sir." Aquila bowed shortly. "Where are they holding the demonstration?"

"In one of the outer main courtyards. Follow me; I'll take you there." Flitwick looked at Sirius. "You'll need to be Disillusioned on the way to Remus' office."

Sirius wrinkled his nose at that. "Ugh. Fine." He held still while Remus activated the charm, and then followed his old friend out of the meeting chamber. Flitwick led the way to the courtyard where the large- and currently empty -courtyard where the demonstration was going to take place. It had been cleared of any benches or plants, which Columbia approved of. She turned to the Flock once they reached the center of the courtyard.

"Alright," she said, "Aquila, Gemini, Orion, we'll be going up on the roofs of the passageways and keeping an aerial watch with our Notice-Me-Not runes active. The rest of you, blend with the students. Keep at the edges of the crowd. Stay quiet and only watch unless necessary. Understood?"

There was a chorus of agreement before everyone dispersed, heading to their posts. Flitwick took care of the binding circle while Columbia climbed up to the roof of the nearest walkway, activating the correct rune activated. She settled into a crouch, making sure her bracers were free. Karish landed on her shoulder; as long as he was in contact with her, he was covered by the Notice-Me-Not spell. Once Flitwick was done setting everything up, he sent a message to McGonagall and Dumbledore letting them know before going to fetch his class.

The students started filtering in, with Cassiopeia, Lupa, and Deneb blending in at the edges as ordered. Columbia watched Professor McGonagall's raven dæmon swoop over the heads of the gathering students before returning back to his usual perch on her shoulder. Dumbledore was there as well, staying by McGonagall's side. Flitwick came back, chatting amiably with Ron Weasley and a brown-haired girl that Columbia didn't recognize. The girl's dæmon was currently in the shape of an African Gray parrot perched comfortably on her shoulder. Columbia paid the girl no mind, instead focusing on the rat poking out of Ron's pocket. She blinked, letting her magic flow through her as her Eagle Vision activated.

The rat glowed a deep red, while Ron was a neutral blue. Flitwick glowed a deep gold; his fellow professors were blue, though, as they were neutral to the Assassins' cause. Columbia smiled grimly before letting her Eagle Vision fade away. Good. Pettigrew didn't seem to have any idea as to what was going on. Flitwick stepped into the middle of the binding circle, which for the moment was inactive. He waited until everyone was watching before he spoke.

"I'm sure all of you are curious as to what we're doing here," he began, "particularly those of you in the lower years." He smiled. "I figured we might as well take advantage of one of the last nice days of the season and have a practical demonstration today. In some of our most recent classes, both higher and lower years, we've been talking about how Transfiguration and Charms often coincide. This is especially true when using form-changing spells such as the Animagus spell."

Flitwick inclined his head at McGonagall, who smiled slightly. "As Professor McGonagall is an accomplished Animagus herself, she has very kindly agreed to help me in this demonstration today. I know some of you want to become Aurors one day, you'll need to know how to do this. Now, I've laid down what's known as a binding circle. At the moment, it's inactive, but..." He took out his wand and flicked it, activating the runes. "While it's active, Animagi cannot leave its boundaries. Of course, not all binding circles are for Animagi. You have to specify what it is you're binding when you lay the circle down. Much like any other spell, it's all about intent. _Wingardium Leviosa_ is all about the _intent_ of lifting an object. Intent is just as important as pronunciation when casting spells. Professor McGonagall, if you would?"

McGonagall nodded and then changed shapes, shifting smoothly into her feline form. She crossed the circle's boundary, and then, after a few paces, did an about-face and tried to get out. The circle flared into life, keeping her inside. Flitwick nodded before speaking again.

"Of course, with almost every spell, there's a way to reverse it," he said. "To make this demonstration a little less boring, I'll need a few volunteers." He looked at Ron. "Mr. Weasley, Mr. Longbottom, and..." He hummed. "Ah, of course. Mr. Jordan. Do all of you have your pets with you?"

"I do," Ron said, patting his pocket. A round-faced boy in the crowd near Ron produced a toad from his pocket.

"I've got Trevor," Neville said. Flitwick looked at Lee Jordan.

"Mr. Jordan?"

Lee shrugged. "I've got a spider," he said, "but you're going to have to make it so it doesn't escape the circle."

"Don't worry, I will." Flitwick waved his wand, adding the exception just for the spider and nothing else. "Please put your pets in the center of the circle. The reversal spell won't harm them, don't worry," he said when he saw Neville's worried expression. "It's just to add a little spice to the demonstration."

Neville nodded and then carefully placed Trevor in the circle. The toad looked around and then croaked before settling in on the sun-warmed flagstones with every sign of enjoyment. Lee and Ron put their pets in, and Columbia noticed with great satisfaction that the rat seemed worried, turning his head this way and that.

"We'll start with Professor McGonagall, and then I'll show you what happens when the spell is used on a non-Animagus. The spell for the reversal is _Corpus Veritas_ , but if you're talented enough, you can cast it non-verbally. Observe." Flitwick turned and moved his wand in a sharp slashing motion, sending a jet of blue-white light at McGonagall. The light enveloped her, flared, and then faded, leaving her standing in human form where the cat had been.

"Thank you, Minerva." Flitwick bowed to her amidst the smattering of applause from the students. "If you would step to the side?"

McGonagall did so, leaving the path to the three animals free. Flitwick didn't waste any time in casting the spell, leaving Pettigrew for last. Nothing happened to Trevor or Lee's spider, with the light fizzing out harmlessly, but the one that hit Pettigrew flared brightly and then faded, leaving a disheveled man in the place of the rat. He turned to run, but the binding spell kept him from going anywhere. Flitwick immediately cast a restraining spell on him, magically conjured ropes springing to life around his ankles and wrists, sending him and his shrew dæmon to the ground.

The ropes would feed on any magic being used on them, making them stronger and less likely to break. It was an old Assassins' trick, but one used by Aurors as well. Chaos broke out at the sight of Pettigrew, with Ron giving the loudest shout of surprise. Dumbledore had to cast several loud spells over the heads of the crowd before the students quieted. He stepped forward, his wand pointed at Pettigrew.

"Peter Pettigrew," he said, his brow furrowed. "What in Merlin's name were you doing hiding as a _rat_? How are you alive?"

"I was... I was hiding from Sirius Black!" Pettigrew squeaked, turning over on his back with difficulty thanks to the ropes. "He was going to kill me! Just like he killed James and Lily!"

Columbia snorted softly. Idiot. Like Dumbledore would believe that. The Headmaster was far smarter than that. Dumbledore merely raised an eyebrow.

"If you were hiding from Black, why didn't you come out of hiding once Black was in Azkaban? Why hide for twelve years?" he asked.

"A good question," Flitwick said, stepping forward. "Headmaster, may I say something?"

Dumbledore nodded. "Go ahead, Filius."

"Perhaps it would be better to let the Ministry of Magic ask him that question? After all, if Pettigrew here wasn't killed by Sirius Black, then perhaps those Muggles weren't as well. And since Black is on the run, the only source of information we have is..."

He trailed off, shivering as the already moderately cool day became even colder. Columbia frowned, looking around. It was Orion who spotted what was causing the sudden change in temperature; his low swearing across the Flock's private communication charms was followed by one word: dementors. Columbia immediately took charge, retrieving her wand and readying it, while simultaneously disarming the Notice-Me-Not charm on her robes. It would be useless in a matter of seconds anyways.

"Patronus spells at the ready!" she ordered, summoning up the happiest thought she could on a moment's notice- that of Aquila saying his first actual words to her –and let that feeling well up inside her until she couldn't bear to hold it back any more. Her patronus burst forth from her wand, the silvery and slightly larger-than-life dove soon joined by Orion's bear, Gemini's horse, and Aquila's eagle. The others cast their patronuses as well, herding the smaller children in towards the center of the crowd. Columbia leapt to the ground, landing lightly on her feet; behind her, the others did the same, keeping their wands up.

Their patronuses (which, by that point, had been joined by the teachers') circled around the students, teachers, and Assassins, keeping them safe from the encroaching dementors. Aquila and Orion were on either side of Columbia, watching the dementors warily.

"They must've been drawn by the emotional spike from the students," Orion muttered, his face pale. A few of the students had fainted already, even with the veritable zoo of patronuses encircling them. Columbia nodded.

"Probably," she agreed. "Alright, let's try to drive them away. Deneb, take Lupa and Gemini with you. The rest of you, with me. Start driving them back to the Forest." She looked over at the teachers, switching to her mild Italian accent before speaking again. " _Professori_ , if you would try to get the students back into the castle, please, as well as securing Pettigrew? We will explain everything once the danger has passed."

Flitwick nodded, dispelled the binding circle, cast _Petrificus Totalus_ on Pettigrew, and then levitated the Animagus' immobile body and dæmon. Dumbledore and McGonagall shepherded the students away as Star Flock began to push the dementors back, their patronuses leaping, charging, and diving at the foul beings. It took almost a half hour to drive the dementors away, but once the wraith-like beings had disappeared into the Forest, the Flock returned to the castle.

Columbia sent all but Lupa, Deneb, and Orion back to the meeting room; she didn't like the idea of Dumbledore being anywhere near Aquila. She sent Orion to Remus' office, telling him to stand by until they needed to move Sirius. She kept Deneb and Lupa with her, the two Novices walking a half-pace behind her as they moved upwards to the Headmaster's office. Flitwick was waiting for them in front of the lone gargoyle.

"They're going to call the Ministry over the Floo," he said before turning to the gargoyle. "Walnut fudge." The gargoyle leapt aside, revealing a moving staircase behind it. He led the way up, scooping up his dæmon so she could keep up with him. Dumbledore, McGonagall and Pettigrew were waiting for them there, with Pettigrew freed from the _Petrificus_ spell but otherwise still bound. He'd been put in one of the overstuffed armchairs scattered around Dumbledore's office. Dumbledore himself was at the fireplace, speaking with Kingsley Shacklebolt, or at least, the head and shoulders of the Auror.

Columbia smiled in the shadows of her hood. Kingsley was an ally of the Assassins, though he wasn't one himself. Personally, Columbia thought he would've made a good one, but she wasn't going to fault him for not joining the Brotherhood. Kingsley looked over at her with a wry smile.

"I should have known you'd be involved in this," he said. "Give me a moment. I'm coming through."

He moved back, his head disappearing from the fire. The green flames flickered and then flared high up as Kingsley stepped through them and into the office, his leopard dæmon at his heels. He nodded at Columbia before turning his attention to Pettigrew.

"So," he said, "Peter Pettigrew. Interesting."

Pettigrew stared at Kingsley, unsure of how to react to him. Kingsley withdrew a glass vial from an inner pocket of his robes that was half-full of a clear liquid. Columbia arched an eyebrow.

"Veritaserum? That's hardly reliable," she said. Kingsley nodded.

"I know," he said, "but it's a useful tool nonetheless."

"I won't take it!" Pettigrew insisted, struggling against his bonds. As he did so, his sleeves rode up slightly. "You can't use it on me! That's illegal!"

Orion stepped forward, placing a hand on Columbia's shoulder. "Beg pardon, ma'am, but there's something on his left forearm," he murmured. "You can see it just under the edge of his sleeve."

Columbia hummed and then, before Pettigrew could react more than a sharp "No!" moved forward and shoved his left sleeve up. There, on his forearm, was the Dark Mark, curving dull and red against his skin. Columbia snatched her hand back, Karish flaring his wings and hissing lowly.

"Death Eater!" Columbia snarled, moving back. "I should've known. You betrayed the Potters. You're the reason Lily and James are dead!"

"I had no choice," Pettigrew whined nervously, not liking the sudden dip in mood that the revelation had caused. "The Dark Lord... He's very persuasive. He would've killed me if I hadn't joined him!"

"Then perhaps you should have taken the honorable way out," Columbia said shortly. She turned to Kingsley. "You heard what he said. You've seen the Mark. Is that enough to clear Sirius Black's name?"

"More than enough, given that he admitted it of his own free will and in front of reputable witnesses," Kingsley replied gravely. "He'll be tried before a full court of the Wizengamot, which is more than Sirius Black ever got, and for that, the Ministry owes him the deepest of apologies."

Columbia smiled humorlessly. "I'm sure you can imagine what he'd say to that."

"I can," Kingsley said wryly. He produced his wand and waved it, making shackles appear around Pettigrew's wrists and ankles, with chain connecting them all together. Flitwick ended his own spell, knowing that Pettigrew wouldn't be able to escape from Kingsley, who hauled the Animagus up to his feet. "Come on. You've got a lot of explaining to do." He turned his attention to Dumbledore and McGonagall. "Expect a summons for your testimonies. It would be wise not to mention the involvement of our mutual acquaintance here. Their work is best done in secret."

"We know," Dumbledore replied. "We've encountered one another before. It won't be a problem."

Kingsley threw a handful of Floo powder into the fire, and, once it turned green, announced his destination before taking Pettigrew with him. Columbia took the opportunity to leave, Orion and Deneb following quickly after her. They made their way back to the Den through the meeting chamber, ignoring the curious looks they were getting from the students they passed. Columbia only relaxed when they made it to the Den, some of the tension bleeding from her posture when she saw Sirius was there with Remus.

"It's taken care of," Kit said simply, lowering her hood and shedding the persona of Columbia as she did so. "We did get a nasty shock, though: in addition to being a traitor, Pettigrew is a Death Eater. Kingsley Shacklebolt took him back to the Ministry in chains that will keep him from using his Animagus abilities."

Remus ran a hand over his face as he slumped back in his chair. "Merlin. Peter, a Death Eater? That explains a lot."

"That's what I said," Kit said, sinking down into a nearby chair, Karish taking a perch on the back of it. "All we have to do is wait. For now, the Flock and I will be returning home. Sirius, I'd suggest you stay here until it's safe for you to leave."

"Can't I come with you?" Sirius asked. "Wouldn't it be safe with you?"

"It'll be safer here," Kit told him. "You'll have shelter and food."

"He'd have the same with us." Kit looked up to see Aquila standing nearby. "We have the room back home. We can take him."

"Yes, we could, but he's not part of the Brotherhood," Kit said. She held up a hand to forestall any further arguments. "It'll be better for him to go it on his own for at least a short time."

"I disagree," Aquila said, crossing his arms over his chest stubbornly. "If he comes with us, he'll have access to good food, shelter, and medical care. That would be way better than roughing it on his own. And there are people back home who aren't part of the Brotherhood. Sure, they're in the know, but they don't fight. He doesn't have to fight either. Why not give him somewhere safe to rest and get healthy again where he doesn't have to worry about looking over his shoulder every second of the day? He's not a threat to us. If he was, he would've done something by now. Please, just think about it."

Kit sighed. "You're not going to let this one go, are you?"

Aquila grinned. "Sorry, Mum, not a chance. Besides, I'd like to get to know him better. I have that right."

"Mum?" Remus asked, breaking into the conversation. "He's your son? He looks a bit old for that."

"He's adopted," Kit replied with an idle wave of her hand. "That's not important right now. Look, I'll think it over. We're going to be staying here for one more night. The dementors are too active right now for us to attempt to get into Hogsmeade over land, and we don't have a reliable tunnel into the village. The one under the Willow doesn't count."

"You know about that?" Remus looked surprised.

"Of course. Sirius and James used to tell me stories about what they got up to at Hogwarts when I would visit," Kit said simply. "Like I said, I don't trust that one." She checked her watch. "Lunch time. Huh. I thought it would be later. No matter. We'll take the time to rest and relax. Remus, I'd suggest you return to the castle for now; after all, you have classes to teach."

Remus pushed himself to his feet. "I suppose I do. Alright. I'll keep an eye on the _Daily Prophet_. Send me an owl if you can."

Sirius got up and drew Remus into a tight hug. "Take care of yourself, Moony."

"You do the same, Padfoot." Remus returned the hug before making his way out of the Den and back to the castle. Sirius watched him go and then returned to his seat, running a weary hand over his face. Kit got to her feet.

"I'm going to make lunch. Want anything?"

Sirius shook his head, his fingers tangling in Avantia's fur. "No thanks. Not right now, anyways."

"Alright." Kit went into the kitchen and began to make lunch, Aquila eventually coming over to help. He gave her a small smile.

"Hey, Mum."

"Ah. Back to being Harry now?"

Harry shrugged. "Might as well. We're going home soon, after all. Lupin didn't seem to be bothered by me. Either that, or he was too distracted by Sirius."

"Likely a mixture of both. Still, as far as we know, everything's been resolved that can be at the moment," Kit said as she chopped up some vegetables. "Pettigrew's in custody and will soon be standing trial, which is more than he deserves."

"It's the right thing to do," Harry replied quietly. "At least that way no one can-"

"If you end that with 'complain', you and I both know that you'll be wrong," Kit interrupted. "People will always find something to complain about, no matter what. Just be thankful we have allies where we do and leave it at that."

Harry nodded, glancing over at Sirius as he did so. "I still think we should bring him with us," he said. "He needs to be with people. He's been alone for twelve years in one of the worst places imaginable. Don't you think it's time that changed?"

Kit worried at her bottom lip as she thought. "Maybe you're right," she murmured, setting down her knife. "Maybe it is time for a change."

"One for the better, hopefully," Harry said.

"Hopefully," Kit agreed before turning back to the vegetables. "Hopefully."


	8. Epilogue: Time Heals All

It was a snowy day in December when the _Daily Prophet_ arrived with the front page headline of 'BLACK INNOCENT! PETER PETTIGREW TO BLAME FOR DEATHS OF POTTERS AND MUGGLES!'. The article went on to describe Pettigrew's trial and verdict, as well as Kingsley, Dumbledore, Flitwick, and McGonagall's testimonies about what had happened the day Pettigrew had been discovered. Kit grinned when she saw the headline and then tossed the paper down in front of Sirius.

"Congratulations," she said, "you're officially a free man. Look, the Ministry even printed a blandly worded apology for you to cover themselves."

Sirius rolled his eyes. "Good for them," he said, picking up the paper and looking at it. He shook his head. "Well, at least the rest of the world knows the truth. That's something."

"It is," Kit agreed. "What're you going to do now?"

Sirius shrugged. "Not sure. Maybe take a stroll down Diagon Alley. Or go to Hogsmeade now that the dementors are back in Azkaban where they belong. I've missed going to Honeydukes'."

Kit hummed, sipping at her tea. Access to proper food, water, and healers had left Sirius looking far better than he had when he'd first come to Harper's Valley, though it would still be some time before he was back up at a healthy weight. Avantia was looking better as well, her appearance a direct correlation of Sirius' ever-increasing health. It was a very good sign, and one Kit was happy to see. Sirius was staying in a small house nearby, and often popped over to visit whenever he could.

"Where's Harry?" Sirius asked, putting down the paper. The photo on the front was that of Pettigrew being pronounced guilty; the look of horror on his face as he was told he was being sent to Azkaban was priceless.

"Outside with the rest of the Flock," Kit replied. "I think they mentioned something about a snowball fight?"

Sirius perked up at that. "That sounds fun," he said with a grin. "C'mon. Let's go teach them how a snowball fight's really done."

Kit laughed and got to her feet. "You're on."

They grabbed their cloaks and went outside, heading into the chilly morning air. The members of the Flock weren't too far away, furiously engaged in pelting one another with snowballs, their dæmons having just as much fun as they were. Kit and Sirius dove into the fray, throwing snowballs indiscriminately, much to the surprise of the Novices. Harry led his Flock-members in a counter-assault, but Sirius and Kit gave as good as they got. Laughter rang out through the air, flowing with ease from adults and young people alike.

For the moment, life was good, and that's all they cared about. It was all they needed to. Worry and pain would come with the inevitable march of time, but that was in the future. For now, all they were worried about was having a good time.


End file.
